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Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Why GMP Training Does Seem To Work

Why GMP Training Does Seem To Work
Free Training Tips from SkillsPlus International Inc. - by Allan Dewes

GMP training doesn’t always seem to make a difference. We send our employees to class, yet they never change their compliance practices. Perhaps our employees are doing what we unintentionally encourage them to do – even though it’s not what we really want. There can be several reasons for this:

poorly designed or delivered training,

a disconnect between what is taught in class and what is professed on the line and in meetings, and

a lack of an organizational infrastructure to support and encourage GMP compliance

Poorly Designed or Delivered Training
A good design doesn’t have to look good, but it helps. A good design follows a logical flow and links concepts together in a logical flow that leads to a logical conclusion of what is the appropriate behavior. Employees need to know what the gaps are between what is currently practiced, and what is expected. However, even the best design in the world may be totally ineffective if the class is asleep. For instance, employees that have been working for eight hours before a class, are often made to sit in a dimly lit conference room, listening to the instructor drone on for the 93rd time about using black ink in documentation. GMP training delivery must be alive – kick it up! Remember, as trainers we are competing with the jazz of Nintendo, Wii, iPad, smartphones, and the Internet. Activities that reinforce learning objectives are a great way to jazz up training for even the most reserved trainers.

Disconnect Between Preaching & Practice
A telltale sign of a disconnect between what is preached in the organization and what is practiced can be quickly assessed in the plant floor rumblings. Have you ever heard someone say, "I know what ‘they’ told me in class, but my supervisor wants me to get the product out the door." Perhaps you recently heard, "Those trainers don’t know how the job is really done around here." Or maybe you heard, "Tell management about these rules, they need to hear it." These comments are usually countered with, "Where did they ever get those ideas from? Of course I want GMP compliance!" However, somewhere in the employee’s work life they heard a message different than the one you intended. For example, the speed limit on many highways is stated as 65 mph (your area may be different). The message appears to be clear, but many drivers exceed the speed limit. So, what is the message many drivers hear – it’s okay to drive 70 mph. Is that second message intentional or not? Is it spoken or unspoken? Do we send the right messages about our compliance intentions?

Lack of Organizational GMP Compliance Support and Encouragement
If behavior doesn’t change, so say behaviorists, then the environment hasn’t encouraged or supported the desired change. Let’s continue the analogy of the driver speeding on the highway. There are obviously little or no consequences for exceeding the speed limit by perhaps 5-7 mph. (Please note: I’m not giving drivers permission to exceed the speed limit, nor am I liable for those who do get tickets, I’m merely reporting an observation.) What would happen if we were all (100% of us) given speeding tickets for even 1 mph over the limit? Behavior would change, or some of us would go broke. So how are we doing in the area of GMP compliance in our plants? I see many QA auditors correcting batch records with little or no feedback to the person who made the mistake for the 93rd time. I see people responsible for SOP updates that can’t get comments back because, "We were too busy." I see trainers with empty classes because we had product to get out the door.

The Recipe For A Successful GMP Compliance Initiative Includes:

Strong training program design

Delivery with the energy and jazz of current entertainment media

Rich and accurate content

Consistent messages with the practices demonstrated by our behavior and decisions

About the Author
Allan Dewes is the President and Founder of SkillsPlus International Inc. Allan is a master trainer, possessing over 25 years experience in identifying training needs and designing QSR & cGMP training programs. He is known for designing user friendly courses and conducting highly interactive classes that teach concepts easily and playfully.

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